


From The Moment I Heard Your Voice

by megsblackfire



Category: Overwatch (Video Game)
Genre: Dragons everywhere, M/M, Omnic Crisis, Spirit Animals, alternative history, long awaited meetings, phone relationship, so many damn dragons, spirit dragons
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-14
Updated: 2017-10-14
Packaged: 2019-01-17 05:49:21
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 10,537
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12358809
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/megsblackfire/pseuds/megsblackfire
Summary: Gabriel Reyes dialed the wrong number while looking for one of the recruits for the SEP. What followed after that happy accident could be considered fate. He just thought that it was the best thing to ever happen to him. He didn't think it was possible to care so much for someone who he had only ever heard and never met.Jack Morrison was woken by a wrong number while he was trying to get over a cold. The caller, a military personnel, turned out to be the shoulder he could cry on when memories of his late brother resurfaced. Who'd have thought you could fall in love with someone over the sound of their voice?





	From The Moment I Heard Your Voice

**Author's Note:**

> Welcome! I've been hmming and hawing over this story for a while, wondering if I should turn it into a multi-chapter story or not. In the end, I decided it was fine as a one-shot. Just a very, very long one. Oi.

Gabriel punched the phone number sitting on his desk into his cellphone and sat there seething as the line rang. Of all the dumbass things he had to do, chasing after the new SEP candidates was the dumbest thing ever assigned to him. Why should it fall on his shoulders to make sure the dumbasses got to their injection appointments on time? It should be a reflection on their lack of timekeeping, not his. It shouldn’t affect him at all. He was _not_ their CO, so why was he being punished? Stupid, idiotic high command and their inability to punish the appropriate parties.

The line picked up and he didn’t even wait to hear the person on the other end answer. “Where the fuck are you?” he snarled.

“Wha?” a groggy voice demanded.

“You were supposed to report in an hour ago,” Gabriel continued. “Where the fuck are you, Johnson?”

There was a groan on the other end of the line. “It is way too early for puns,” the voice said as they coughed.

“Puns?” Gabriel demanded.

“Johnson,” the voice yawned. “John’s son? Funny. Sort of. I didn’t get a lot of sleep; fucking cold.”

“You don’t sound congested,” Gabriel narrowed his eyes.

“And you don’t sound like a jackass, but you certainly are one,” the voice laughed.

“Excuse me?” Gabriel growled.

“Dude, I really think you have the wrong number,” the voice laughed again.

“There’s no way I have,” Gabriel growled as he looked down at the number in front of him. He pulled his phone away from his ear and checked the number. His heart plummeted to his toes as he stared at the number. He’d punched in the wrong area code. Fuck. His. Life. “I am so sorry,” he whispered.

The person on the other end of the phone laughed. “Hey, no problem, dude,” they said, “I’m sorry for not telling you right away that it was the wrong number. Let a man indulge his tastes for a few minutes.”

Gabriel lifted his eyebrow. “Your tastes?” he asked.

“You have a voice like velvet,” the voice sighed. “I could listen to it all day.”

Gabriel let out a soft chuckle. “Why, I do believe you are coming onto me,” he teased.

“Maybe,” the voice cackled. “Not too often that a wrong number is such a wonderful conversationalist. Can I get a name to save this number to?”

“Reyes,” Gabriel shook his head. “You?”

“Morrison,” the voice replied. “I hope to hear from you again, Reyes. Just, you know. Not at eight in the fucking morning when I’m sleep deprived and getting over a fucking cold.”

“We’ll see, Morrison,” Gabriel chuckled. “You get some sleep. I have a dumbass to track down.”

“Sure thing, boss,” Morrison yawned and hung up.

* * *

 

Jack headed downstairs after a few more hours of sleep. His head wasn’t quite as fuzzy and he could fill his lungs with air without coughing too hard. He shook his head as he stepped into the kitchen, smiling at the sight of his parents at the kitchen table.

John was nursing a mug of coffee and Daiki was sipping his tea with a pair of glasses sitting on the end of his nose as he read the newspaper. His spirit dragon was draped over John’s shoulders, the silver fur rippling as she snuggled against him. A gold and red phoenix was perched on Daiki’s chair, gently preening his hair with her long beak.

“Look who’s up,” Daiki smiled as he looked at Jack. “Feeling better?”

“A little,” Jack stretched as he got himself a bowl of cereal. “Had a lovely wake-up call earlier.”

“Mmm?” John asked as he sipped his coffee, ignoring the dragon trying to steal a sip.

“Got a wrong number call,” Jack continued as he sat down. “And the man had the voice of a sex god.”

John and Daiki looked at each other in amusement. The golden dragon lifted her head and chirped before leaping over to Jack’s shoulders. He scratched her silver beard, bumping his forehead to hers. The phoenix watched him with gentle eyes, interested in his story, but not inclined to leave her partner’s mate’s side.

“Don’t go chasing strangers, Jack,” Daiki teased.

“Isn’t that how you met Dad?” Jack teased back as he spooned cereal into his mouth. “Or was it the one-night stand that turned into more?”

“I didn’t do one-nighters,” John snorted indignantly as Daiki blushed. “I had three kids to look after. I didn’t have time to hit up random strangers for a night of debauchery.”

“John,” Daiki whined. “You’re embarrassing me.”

“How, _anata_?” John tilted his head. “You were the greatest thing to ever stumble into my lap.”

“I was drunk,” Daiki huffed. “In a strip bar.”

Jack almost choked on his cereal as he laughed. “You said it was a bar!”

“It was a bar; there were just male strippers everywhere,” John smirked.

“You were in a gay strip bar?!”

“No, I was in a strip bar with male strippers. Most of the other patrons were women,” John chuckled as he reached across the table. “Except for my golden dragon. Came walking up with a beer in his hand and asked me how much I charged for a personal show.”

“Don’t tell him that!” Daiki waved his hands frantically. “Damn it, John! Stop making me look like a terrible person!”

Jack cackled as he leaned forward. “I can’t, I can’t believe you thought Dad was a stripper! That is amazing!”

“I was drunk!” Daiki wailed.

“I laughed, honey,” John soothed. “I thought it was adorable. The strippers were smoking hot and you asking me for a show meant you thought I was hot. Besides, you got my number out of it.”

“After you escorted me back to my hotel room,” Daiki grumbled.

“And made sure you didn’t vomit all over yourself,” John smiled.

The spirit dragon shook her head; why were her humans so silly? Jack scratched under her jaw and smiled as Daiki glared at John. John made kissy-lips at Daiki and received a rolled up newspaper to the arm for his efforts.

“I can’t believe you told him that!” Daiki snapped.

“He’s eighteen, Daiki,” John laughed as he waved a hand to fend off the newspaper. “I’m sure he can handle how we met.”

“Oto, it’s fine,” Jack smirked. “You’re human. We all make stupid mistakes.”

“You’re both terrible!” Daiki whined. “Doubloon, we’re going.”

The spirit dragon chirped and flew to him as he stood up. She curled around his neck like a living boa as he left the kitchen. John chuckled and finished his coffee, getting to his feet with a soft groan. He held his arm up and the phoenix jumped up without hesitating, climbing up to perch on his shoulder.

“Might want to wear those noise-cancelling headphones of yours tonight,” John winked.

“You are disgusting, Dad,” Jack wrinkled his nose.

“Where do you think you got your libido from?” John asked as he started dishes. “Certainly not from your Oto.”

“Dude, no one wants to hear about the fact that their parents are going to be having sex!” Jack whined.

John shrugged his shoulders. “Not my fault,” he replied. “Finish your breakfast and take that medicine of yours. Want that cold cleared up lickety-split.”

“Yes sir, Mr. Morrison, sir,” Jack smirked as he returned to his cereal.

“Brat,” John teased as he started washing plates.

* * *

 

Gabriel tapped his phone as he stared at the contact information for Morrison. Did he really want to bother the man? It had only been a week ago that he’d called in on a wrong number looking for Johnson’s dumb ass. He wanted to hear that pretty voice again now that he wasn’t ready to pop a blood vessel in his head.

He sighed and tapped the screen, dialling Morrison’s number.

“Hello?” a shaky voice answered.

“Morrison?” Gabriel frowned. “Hey, are you okay?”

“No,” Morrison whispered after a few minutes. “Can…can I call you back?”

“Talk to me,” Gabriel ordered. “You don’t answer the phone sounding like that and get to hang up on me.”

“You barely know me; this is hardly appropriate,” Morrison whined.

“Talk.”

Morrison sighed and let out a sob. “It’s…the anniversary…of…my brother,” he let out a broken noise and his sobs sounded muffled.

“Ssh,” Gabriel soothed. “Ssh, it’s okay. I’m not going to judge you. What happened?”

“Ben…Ben was overseas…stationed in…in Kazakhstan,” Morrison whimpered. “They didn’t…they didn’t….”

“Ssh,” Gabriel repeated. “I understand. Ssh, it’s okay. I’m here.”

He knew about the military base in Kazakhstan. Everyone did. The whole thing had gone sky-high. They thought it was a terrorist attack until a bomb crew found a busted tank in the basement of the base. Someone had turned the valves over enough to release the compressed gas inside. All it had taken was one small spark and the rest went up in flames. It had killed so many people; civilian workers and soldiers alike.

Ben Morrison. Sergeant Benjamin Morrison, he supposed. He didn’t know the man personally, but everyone had always talked about how nice he was, how personable he was, and how much he cared about those serving under him. It was a massive blow to so many people and morale had plummeted for weeks afterwards.

“I miss him so much,” Morrison sobbed.

“Deep breaths, Morrison,” Gabriel soothed. “I know it’s hard.”

“You lose anyone?” Morrison whispered.

“Couple of friends,” Gabriel replied. “I don’t like to talk about it.”

“Me neither,” Morrison sniffled. “Dad…they tried to get me help, but I wasn’t ready. I don’t know if I ever will be.”

“That’s okay, Morrison,” Gabriel soothed. “You’re still young, right? You have time to heal. Professional help can wait until you are ready.”

“I’m nineteen,” Morrison sniffled. “I feel like I’m going backwards. Like there’s nothing I can do anymore. My wheels are spinning in the mud but I can’t find traction.”

“You’re young,” Gabriel repeated, smiling at the fact that Morrison was six years younger than him. Little cutie. “You don’t have to have everything figured out yet. It’s okay.”

“And you’re so old,” Morrison teased.

“Older than you, kiddo,” Gabriel cackled.

“Don’t you start!” Morrison whined. “I get that enough from everyone else in my class!”

“Tell me about what you’re taking in school,” Gabriel smiled. “I want to know more about you, _amigo_.”

Morrison chuckled softly before he started explaining the complex components of a car engine.

* * *

 

“Busy day?” Jack asked as he flopped on his bed.

“Injection day,” Reyes grumbled. “I hurt from my nose to my ass.”

Jack laughed and stared at the ceiling. “You know, I probably shouldn’t know that you’re getting shot full of experimental meds,” he teased.

“You tell anyone and I’ll hunt your country bumpkin ass down,” Reyes growled.

Hello, inconvenient boner. How are you on this fine Saturday afternoon? Because he was doing well until you popped up. Now he had to hide the fact that he was turned on, once again, by his friend. His older military friend. With the voice of a sex god. Help.

“You have no idea how tempting it is to tell someone just to have you hunt me down,” Jack sighed.

“You are hard-core crushing, kid,” Reyes laughed.

Jack pouted. “I regret telling you how old I am,” he whined. “I’m a legal adult!”

“Still young enough to not even buy your own liquor,” Reyes teased.

“Shut up! I can vote and join the army if I wanted to,” Jack snorted. “That’s something.”

“Mmhmm,” Reyes snorted before he groaned in pain. “Fuck.”

Jack heard him double over and looked out the window of his room. Reyes was hissing through his teeth, beating a fist against a wooden object. He sounded like he was in so much pain and there was nothing Jack could do to help.

 _“I wish I was there,”_ he murmured in Japanese. _“I’m told I give a mean massage. I’d ease your aches and pains away and tell you that it’s going to be okay. I know you’re a big tough guy and having a little twink like me comfort you would be insulting, but I don’t care. I worry so much about you, Reyes. You don’t deserve to be in pain.”_

“What language was that?” Reyes asked softly.

“Japanese,” Jack smiled.

“You live in the ass-end of nowhere and you can speak Japanese?” Reyes demanded.

“One of my dad’s is Japanese,” Jack shrugged. “He taught us.”

“Us?”

“My siblings and I,” Jack replied.

“So your parents are split up?”

“Actually, my mother died when I was little. My dad remarried after he met _otosan_.”

“Oh. Oh, I’m sorry, Morrison,” Reyes murmured.

“Don’t be; how’re you supposed to know?” Jack shrugged. “Not like I remember her too much anyways. I was only four when she died; Ben and Jazz remembered her better and missed her. What about you? What’s your family like?”

“Chaotic,” Reyes sighed. “Let’s just say there’s a reason I joined the army straight out of high school. Got me out of the house as fast as possible and I didn’t have to listen to my mom bitching about my sister living with her boyfriend with no plans on marrying.”

“Can’t say I blame her with how expensive everything is these days,” Jack grimaced. “How long have they been together?”

“Almost five years,” Reyes said. “They’re very committed. My parents are just old fashioned Catholics.”

“Yikes; church every Sunday?”

“More if they felt we were being sinful that week,” Reyes’ shudder could be heard clearly over the phone. “They forced me into the choir too.”

“Ooh,” Jack teased. “Bet you looked good in robes.”

“Do you have any idea how hard it is to hide a boner in those things?” Reyes laughed.

“I can just bet,” Jack cackled as he rolled over.

He watched the rain roll down the window and smiled. Reyes started talking about the time he accidentally popped a boner in the middle of a sermon and had to hide behind another choir boy so the congregation couldn’t see it. Jack laughed at the mental image of a kid Reyes hiding behind another little boy and praying that no one could see how his robes were tenting.

“Is it raining at your house, like it’s raining at mine,” Jack sang softly as silence filled the phone line.

“You sing?” Reyes asked softly.

“Not well,” Jack shrugged.

“Could you keep singing?” Reyes asked. “It’s beautiful.”

Jack blushed as he tried to remember the words to the song he had started singing. It sounded terrible to him, his voice too low and gravelly from disuse to really capture what he was hoping for. He ended up yawning in the middle of a verse and apologized as fast as he could before he went into the next line.

When he finished, Reyes was silent. For a moment, he thought his friend had hung up on him. Then he heard a soft grunt and a chuckle.

“That was beautiful, Morrison,” Reyes murmured. “Fuck, I should get you to sing me lullabies more often.”

Jack blushed harder and laughed. “Well, I should let you go then, old man,” he teased. “You need your beauty sleep.”

“Shithead,” Reyes chuckled. “I’ll talk to you when I can, Morrison.”

“Jack,” Jack said softly. “Please, just call me Jack.”

“Jack Morrison,” Reyes purred his name. “Cute.”

“What, you aren’t going to give me your name?” he teased.

“Not yet, kiddo,” Reyes sighed. “Let...let me have that, okay?”

“I’m only teasing, Reyes,” Jack soothed. “You take as long as you need, okay? I don’t care.” He blinked. “Wait, that’s harsher than I meant it to be.”

Reyes laughed. “Don’t worry, Jack; I understand. You sleep well too, you hear?”

“Yes, sir, Sergeant Reyes sir,” Jack teased.

Reyes laughed before he hung up. Jack hung up and set his phone on the bedside table. He looked up as someone knocked on the door and called out for them to come in. The door opened and a golden spirit dragon came zipping along the ground towards him.

“Hey, Doubloon,” he greeted as Daiki’s dragon leaped into his arms. “I wasn’t up here that long.”

“She was concerned,” Daiki smiled as he stepped into the room and closed the door behind him. “It has been a long time since we heard you sing.”

Jack looked away as Doubloon nuzzled his jaw. “Friend wanted me to sing,” he murmured.

“I am not judging, Jack,” Daiki soothed as he set his long-fingered hand over Jack’s. “I know what singing meant to you and Ben. Some wounds take longer than others to heal.”

Jack felt his nose starting to burn and looked away. Doubloon chirred and wrapped her long serpentine body around his shoulders and neck, rubbing her soft cheek against his. He scratched under her jaw, swallowing thickly as he felt his own dragon stirring inside of him.

The underside of his arms tingled all the way up to his spine. He swallowed and pushed the feeling down, refusing to let the red dragon emerge. Mars growled in his gut, but settled without complaint. The red dragon never complained no matter how much Jack denied him. Tears burned Jack’s eyes and he rubbed at them as Doubloon licked his cheek.

“He hates me,” he whispered.

“No,” Daiki soothed, knowing exactly what Jack was talking about. “A dragon can never hate its partner. If anything, Mars is simply frustrated. His duty is to protect you and he cannot do that when you refuse to summon him.”

“Some protectors they are,” Jack snapped without meaning to. “Didn’t keep Ben alive or keep Jazz from running off to join a cult.”

Doubloon let out a sad noise and dropped her regal head onto Jack’s shoulder. Her soft ears folded backwards along her head and she let out a soft trill. Jack ran his fingers through her silver mane and tried to hold in his tears.

“Ssh,” Daiki soothed as he brushed his thumb along Jack’s cheek. “Don’t hold them in, Jack. There is no shame in mourning.”

Jack hiccupped and hugged Doubloon to his face. “Why didn’t Agamemnon save him?” he demanded. “Why didn’t he do his job? He only had one fucking job and that was to keep Ben alive! Why couldn’t he do that?!”

Daiki wrapped his arms around Jack’s shoulders and pulled him close. Jack buried his head in Daiki’s chest, sobbing and clinging to him. Doubloon chirped and nuzzled him, growing in size until she could twist her way around his whole body. He hugged the warm body close and tried to forget that his family was a broken mess.

* * *

 

“I’m shipping out soon,” Gabriel murmured. “Don’t know when I’m going to get a good connection again.”

“Okay,” Jack murmured. “Hang on.”

Gabriel heard a click somewhere on Jack’s end of the line and his phone vibrated a few seconds later. He pulled the phone away from his ear and swiped over to his messages. He lifted an eyebrow at the attachment from Jack and chuckled.

“That better not be a dick pic,” he warned.

“Oh please,” Jack laughed. “Like I’d send anything that terrible to you. Just open it.”

Gabriel opened the picture and blinked. “Oh,” he said.

It was a selfie of an adorable young man with golden blond hair and sky-blue eyes. This had to be Jack. Gabriel’s stomach felt like he had eaten a colony of butterflies. This was the twenty-year-old he had been talking to for the last two years. This was the man that sang him to sleep when he needed it when the injections got too bad and the pain was unbearable. This was the man he had comforted when he started crying over the memory of his brother.

“You’re cute,” Gabriel said.

“Thanks,” Jack laughed. “Just a little something to remind you of home. You know. When you have the time to check your phone.”

“Thank you,” Gabriel smiled as he ran his thumb over the pixelated pale cheek. “I’ll keep it close to my heart.”

“Well, if it saves your life from a bullet, I’ll be impressed,” Jack laughed. “Just...just come back, okay?”

Gabriel closed his eyes. “Jack...I can’t make that promise,” he murmured.

“You can,” Jack said. “But I’ll understand if you break it. I just...I want something to hold onto while you’re out fighting.”

Gabriel smiled. “I’ll come back,” he said. “And when I do, I’ll come see you. You can show me your rustic little farm and I can finally meet these dads of yours.”

“They’ll love you,” Jack teased. “And...I’d like that, Reyes.”

“Gabriel,” he soothed. “Think if I’m going off to war, I want you looking for me. In case….”

“In case you never come home,” Jack murmured. “Gabriel Reyes. Could you get any more Spanish, _amigo_?”

 _“I could tell you how white you are for being from Indiana,”_ he teased in his mother-tongue.

“God damn,” Jack whined. “I hate you. I hate you so much.”

Gabriel laughed before he spotted his CO heading for him. “I have to go; we’re going to be boarding soon,” he said. “I’ll call first chance I get.”

“I...I’m rooting for you, big guy,” Jack murmured softly.

Gabriel hung up and saluted his CO before following him over to where the rest of the unit was loading up. He slipped his phone into one of his pockets and helped prepare the ship for launch. When everything was properly stored, he buckled himself in. No one said a word as the plane roared to life and started down the runway.

This was it. This was the start of the Omnic Crisis. It would be a long time ‘til they saw home again. If they ever saw home again. No one dared say something like that out loud, but they were all thinking it.

* * *

 

Jack’s hand was shaking as he stared at the news broadcast in the bar on campus. Angela had a deathgrip on his knee, staring at the screen in terror. The carnage that was tearing through Germany was unimaginable. Not since the Second World War had so many cities been bombed and leveled. They were lucky in the states; the Omnics had gone after the West Coast with just enough warning to evacuate the cities. Property damage was astronomical, but there had been no lives lost according to all the reports Jack had read.

“They’re making the push,” his step-cousin, Haruki, whispered. “Look, look!”

“I can see,” he murmured as he swallowed. “Those are American soldiers.”

Haruki nodded and pressed a hand against her pregnant stomach. She was only a couple years older than Jack, but she already had a three-year-old boy and was eagerly awaiting the birth of her second son. Unfortunately, their father was one of the ones spearheading the push into the enemy lines. Hanzo was with Daiki and John at home, letting their mother wait to see what happened without worrying about his mental state.

The entire bar held its breath as the first soldiers charged across the empty lot. Omnics rose out of the rubble of a bombed building. Someone screamed. The cameraman turned away as the soldiers were gunned down, focusing instead on the next wave of soldiers. There was movement behind the omnics and the cameraman whipped around to watch.

A massive soldier dropped down into the swarm of omnics. Dual shotguns exploded as they spun around filling the omnics full of hot lead. Cheers rose up in the bar and Jack thumped his fist against the table. The soldier ducked out of the way of another omnic and smashed the shotgun into its head. The kickback as they fired almost smashed the shotgun into their own face, but they dodged just in time.

The rest of the push charged forward, driving the omnics back. The massive soldier hung back to speak with a Commanding Officer before sprinting off in a different direction. Other massive soldiers melted out of the shadows, flanking the soldier as they went to make sure they weren’t about to be flanked by murderous omnics.

The screen cut out and everyone was silent. Minutes ticked by before Haruki’s cellphone went off. She scrambled to answer it, stumbling with her words and answering in Japanese instead of English. Her eyes widened and tears started falling down her face.

“ _Anata_ ,” she whimpered. “Thank the dragons. I was so scared.”

Just like that, the entire bar started cheering and thumping their drinks on the tables and bar. Angela threw her arms around Jack’s neck and hugged him tightly, crying as the old radio in the corner of the college bar started announcing that the push into Eastern Germany had been a success. Jack kissed her cheek and crushed her to his chest as tears of relief started tumbling down his face. It was the first major victory they’d had in over a year since the Omnic Crisis started.

Phones were ringing back and forth all night and when Jack finally drove everyone back to the house, Haruki was exhausted. Hanzo came toddling over as soon as they arrived, lifting his hands demandingly towards his mother. Haruki kissed his cheeks as she picked him up.

“Daddy’s fine,” she whispered. “Daddy loves you.”

Jack’s cellphone rang in his back pocket and he pulled it out. No one said a word as he bolted for his room, pressing the phone against his ear. His heart was in his chest; he’d been waiting all night for this call.

“Gabriel,” he breathed.

“Hey, Sunshine,” Gabriel sounded exhausted. “How’s my favourite country bumpkin?”

“Relieved now that I know you’re okay,” he said as he sank onto his bed. “I was so scared. That push...it was horrific.”

Gabriel was silent for a long time. “You saw that?” he demanded. “How?”

“It was televised,” Jack blinked.

“It was WHAT?!” Gabriel roared. “Simmons! Get me the idiot in charge of media coverage!”

“Gabriel?” Jack swallowed.

“You weren’t supposed to see that,” Gabriel growled. “No one was. Fuck. Fucking hell. What idiot thought that letting civilians see soldiers getting mowed down was okay?”

“It was just the first group,” Jack said without thinking. “The camera panned away really fast.”

Gabriel was silent and Jack could almost hear his horrified eyes widening. “They edited it,” he hissed. “They fucking edited the footage. I am going to mount that fucker’s head on the wall for this.”

“Gabe?”

“It’s okay,” Gabriel soothed. “I’m not mad at you, Jack. But thank you for telling me this. I can’t believe this happened.”

“I’m glad you’re okay,” Jack murmured. “I was so worried.”

“I’m fine,” Gabriel chuckled. “Takes a lot to kill this soldier. I have to get going. I just wanted to hear your voice. You focus on your studies; leave the war to me.”

“I will,” Jack smiled. “You stay safe.”

“Scout’s honor,” Gabriel chuckled before hanging up.

“Jack?” Hanzo pushed the door to the room open and toddled in. “Jack, why’d you run?”

“Needed to talk to someone in private,” Jack replied as he rolled onto his side. “Aren’t you supposed to be in bed, little wolf?”

Hanzo shushed him and crawled up onto the bed. Jack chuckled and held his baby cousin close, letting the wiggly child get comfortable. He ran his hand up and down Hanzo’s back, smiling as the kid settled contently against him.

“Jack, why don’t you have a dragon?” Hanzo asked.

“We...don’t talk much,” Jack murmured.

“Why?” Hanzo frowned. “Momma talks to Pinto all the time! So does Grandmamma!”

Jack closed his eyes and sighed. “Hanzo, I lost someone very close to me before you were born,” he murmured. “His dragon failed to keep him safe and I...I couldn’t trust mine to protect me either.”

“Oh,” Hanzo murmured against his chest. “I’m sorry.”

“It’s okay, pup; you didn’t know,” Jack soothed.

“Will you ever call him back?” Hanzo asked.

“I don’t know,” Jack shook his head. “Maybe.”

“I hope you do,” Hanzo nodded his head before snuggling in close. “A dragon never stops loving you.”

Jack chuckled as Hanzo immediately fell asleep. Maybe the kid was right, but he really didn’t feel like dealing with that right now. He closed his eyes and hoped that the war ended soon.

* * *

 

“Commander Reyes?”

Gabriel looked up from his battle plans. The courier looked uncomfortable and Gabriel didn’t blame him. It was one thing to deliver mail on base; it was another to have to hike several miles into the forests of Russia to find where Gabriel had set up camp for the advancing omnic forces.

“Mail,” the courier said lamely as he shuffled forward. “Um, a few from high command and one that looks like it’s from a civilian address.”

“Thank you,” Gabriel said as he accepted the letters. “Go take a break in the canteen. You’ve more than earned it, soldier.”

“Thank you, Commander,” the courier saluted and smiled before leaving the room.

Gabriel looked over the letters from high command and snorted. Same old bureaucratic bullshit. ‘We expect results but we aren’t going to give you any more funding to accomplish this’. Idiots. He eyed the civilian envelope before cautiously picking it up. He stared at the Indiana stamp covered in marks from several different post offices around the globe before he tore the envelope open.

His hands were shaking as he unfolded the letter and caught the photos that fell out. He smoothed the paper out and sat down, setting the pictures off to the side with the topmost picture of a gorgeous old farmhouse watching him.

_‘Hey Gabriel,_

_I have no idea when this letter will reach you, but my Dad reminded me that I could get in contact with you this way. Pain in the ass to dig out the old letters from my brother, but I managed to get the information I needed to get the letter to Commander Gabriel Reyes and hopefully not some lower ranking Gabriel Reyes._

_I want to let you know that we’re okay. Indiana hasn’t been touched by the omnics here. They’ve been sticking to the west and south, but not venturing north. Probably too cold for them or something; tropical omnics, you know?_

_But there’s something else too. And I’ve never been able to say it over the phone to you because I keep chickening out. I’d hear your voice and I’d panic. But writing it out is much easier._

_I love you, Gabriel. I’ve been in love with you for years. I might never have seen your face or met you in person, but I love you. I love your voice and your laugh and your compassion and your burning passion for your work. I know you might not feel the same, but I couldn’t go on living thinking that you could die and I’d never gotten up the courage to tell you how I feel.’_

Gabriel wiped at his eyes and chuckled. Jack would be the only one capable of reducing him to tears over a simple letter. His own fucking parents hadn’t tried to contact him since he’d been promoted to Commander and given Overwatch to bring the war to a close, but Jack living out in the boonies did. That was devotion.

_‘I want you to come home safe. I want to meet you so bad. I want to show you everything that I love and maybe one day see everything that you love. I miss you so much and the thought of losing you tears me apart. I love you so much, Gabriel._

_I’ve included pictures. I know it’s rough out on the front lines; Ben always told me that war was terrible and worse than anything in the world; so I thought maybe you’d want to see something domestic to remember what you’re fighting for._

_Top picture’s my dads’ home. Been in the family for generations. Dad promises it’ll be mine one day, but we’ll see where I end up. I think you can see my sister in the window, but it’s really small.’_

Gabriel picked up the photo and squinted. There was definitely someone in the window, but it was impossible to tell who it was.

_‘Broke my ankle jumping off the roof once into a snowbank. Gave my Dad a heart attack. Jazz was pissing her pants laughing. Ben was trying to dig me out of the snowbank. Oto gave me shit when he got to the hospital room. Don’t think I ever felt so loved._

_Next picture should be my Dad; John; and Oto; Daiki. Dad’s on the left and Oto’s on the right. I mean, the blond hair should give it away, but you never know.’_

Gabriel flipped the photo and blinked at the much older version of Jack smiling tiredly up at him. He picked the photo up gingerly and smiled at the old men snuggled up on the couch. They were clearly deeply in love; John was holding Daiki close and Daiki’s head was resting against John’s shoulder. They were a striking pair; John a blond-haired, blue-eyed farmboy and Daiki a regal, black-haired, brown-eyed cityboy.

_‘Next is my cousin, Haruki, her mother, Miyu; Daiki and Miyu are first cousins; and her boys, Hanzo and baby Genji.’_

Gabriel smiled at the family photo. The boys were adorable, Genji still round cheeked and sporting a baby’s thin haircut while Hanzo’s hair was tied back in a ponytail while his bangs framed his face. Haruki looked a little haggard, but her smile was beautiful and her eyes clear. Miyu looked like a troublemaker, her dark eyes shining with mischief as she held Hanzo on her lap.

_‘Next is my pride and joy. This is Jesse, my son.’_

Gabriel stared at the words before scrambling to pick the picture up. The kid in the photo looked _nothing_ like Jack. Brown hair, soft brown eyes, crooked grin, tanned skin; Latino heritage, maybe; and a rather odd lean to his stance. Jack had a kid?

_‘Okay, stop freaking out. He’s not my biological kid. Don’t like ladies that way, not even when I’m piss drunk. Anyways, we were fostering him after New Mexico got bombed and waiting to hear about his parents. No one was ever found so I offered to adopt him. Three months later, Jesse McCree was an official member of the family. Yes, he’s keeping his last name. It’s all he’s got left to remember his family and I’m not taking it from him._

_You’ll love him. He’s a smart kid. Sassy as all hell; should hear him and Hanzo go at it. It’s hilarious._

_Next picture is him on Star-Spangle, my Dad’s horse. Don’t ask about the name. I swear he was drunk when he named the poor thing.’_

Gabriel smiled at the photo. Jesse was up on the back of an Appaloosa with a big grin on his face. An old cowboy hat was on his head, the edges frayed and starting to fall apart. John was holding Star-Spangle’s head, a fond smile on his face as Jesse sat tall in the saddle.

The rest of the pictures were of Jesse. Gabriel smiled fondly at each of them. Jesse looked like such a happy kid and Jack clearly adored him. There wasn’t a single photo that they weren’t smiling and laughing in. He wiped at his face again and rubbed his chin thoughtfully.

He smiled as he stored the letter and pictures in a safe file and put them in his bag. When he was sure they weren’t going anywhere, he grabbed some stationary and started writing his own letter to Jack.

* * *

 

“Daddy! Mail!” Jesse squealed as he came running up the driveway.

“You didn’t beat the mailman up for that, did you?” Jack teased as he scooped his son up.

Jesse giggled and shook his head before he started worrying his front tooth. It was loose and ready to fall out, but Jesse was too scared to just yank it out. Jack would let it go for now until it had to come out so the adult tooth growing in wasn’t damaged.

Jack carried his son into the house and sat him down on the couch. He groaned and flopped playfully on top of him, smirking as Jesse squealed and squirmed out from under his belly.

“Daddy, you’re too fat!” Jesse whined as he tried to get his legs free.

“Too fat?” Jack asked in horror. “Oh no, that’s terrible! You know what that means, don’t you? No more carrot cake. Ever.”

“NO!” Jesse squealed and giggled, flopping across Jack’s back. “Not the carrot cake!” He cocked his head to the side before he squinted at the envelope in Jack’s hands. “What’s a Co-man-der?”

“A very high ranking person in the army,” Jack said as he rolled onto his back so that Jesse could sprawl out on his chest. “Gabriel’s a good friend of mine.”

Jesse nodded as Jack opened the letter. A datacard dropped onto his chest and he picked it up curiously. He glanced at the letter and started reading.

_‘Dear Jack,_

_Please read the letter before watching the video on the datacard. I don’t want your opinion swayed before you see anything. Trust me, I’ll know._

_I love you too. I have been just as scared to say it to you over the phone. You are my light in the darkness, the one man in this world that can make me laugh and cry in one simple conversation. I want to hold you in my arms and never let you go. I want to be a father to Jesse, to give him the stability he needs to get over what life has put him through already._

_I think of you every day. It is the one thing keeping me sane. Your brother was right; war is hell. It is worse when you have to be the one to order men to their deaths. I am still in active combat, but I am not like the soldiers under my command. I am enhanced. I am stronger, faster, and more resilient; I survive where others perish. And still, I am only human and like every human, I reach a breaking point. In those moments where I am surrounded by darkness, I think of your pretty smile and those beautiful eyes and I find my center again._

_Jack Morrison, if I ever make it home, I will find you. I will find you and kiss you and never let you go. I love you so much, my sunlight, my stars, my world. I will put a fucking ring on that finger of yours if it is the last thing I do._

_You can watch the video now. I apologize for the language beforehand. We’re all potty mouths._

_Love, Gabriel’_

Jack wiped at his tears and sat up. He kissed Jesse’s nose before he went to get his laptop. He set it down on the coffee table and inserted the datacard as Jesse crawled into his lap. He started the movie and smiled.

The video opened on a beautiful woman with black hair, dark eyes, and a strange tattoo under her left eye. She lifted an eyebrow at the camera and shook her head.

“Are you honestly recording me right now, Gabriel?” she demanded.

“Yes,” Gabriel’s voice sounded offscreen. “It’s for a friend. And his kid. So watch your fucking mouth.”

“Don’t swear; it makes Daddy sad,” someone laughed.

The camera zipped over to focus on a young man with a buzzcut. The man grinned and waved at the screen, pursing his lips like he was going to kiss them.

“Hey, cutie,” he teased. “Gabe showed us a picture! You’re a hot piece of ass!”

Jack covered Jesse’s eyes before he flipped off the screen. Asshole.

“Ah, Liao, do not insult the Commander’s friend!” a loud voice boomed. “It is not his fault that he is so attractive! I am sure Gabriel prefers his warm heart.”

“Sure; but you can’t jerk off to a warm heart,” Liao shrugged.

“You clearly haven’t tried,” the loud voice chuckled darkly.

Gabriel let out a snort of laughter before he turned the camera. “That’s Reinhardt, our shield,” he said.

The huge man with wheat-blond hair waved. His blue eyes twinkled with delight as he grinned widely.

“Hello, Jack!” he called. “I hope you and Jesse are safe and warm! It is cold out here in Russia! Ah, but the snow is fun to roll in!”

“This is Torbjörn,” the camera panned to a short man with a glorious beard. “Our Engineer. He’s saved my ass more times than I can count.”

“I wouldn’t have to if you stopped running off into battle guns blazing,” the man huffed.

“You already met Liao the Asshat,” Gabriel chuckled before he panned back to the woman. “This is Ana Amari, resident Mama Bear and expert sniper.”

“Charming as ever, Gabriel,” Ana rolled her eyes. “Someone has to keep you boys in line and we both know you can’t.”

“She loves me,” Gabriel laughed.

The rest of the video was just daily life in the camp. There were drills to run, weapons to check over, meetings to be had; they weren’t allowed to see those; and a host of other things that Jack could only guess at. Jesse was staring in awe, a wide grin on his face as Gabriel walked them across the compound.

“And this is my tent,” Gabriel said as he ducked into it. “Don’t mind the mess. Cleaning lady’s off duty.”

The tent was organized and lacking any clutter. Jack and Jesse chuckled at the joke as Gabriel gave them the tour of his tent. He stepped into the bathroom and kept the camera pointed at the sink.

“Okay, so, here’s the big reveal,” Gabriel inhaled slowly. “Don’t be too disappointed, okay?”

The camera panned up and Jack stared in awe at the man waving at them in the mirror. Gabriel was beautiful. Bronze skin, a thick black beard, warm brown eyes, and shallow scars everywhere. Gabriel smiled and reached up to pull his gray beanie off of his head. Thick black curls tumbled free and he ran his fingers through them with a small frown.

“Damn curls; can’t find a decent shaver anywhere,” Gabriel grumbled. “Beard’s wild too. I usually just have a goatee.”

He ran his tongue over his lips and smiled. The scars on his cheeks dimpled with the smile and Jack felt his heart melting at the sight.

“He’s pretty,” Jesse chirped from his lap. “Are you going to marry him, Daddy?”

“I’d like to,” Jack chuckled as Gabriel waved and the video ended. “But we’ve only ever talked over the phone.”

“I want to meet him!” Jesse grinned up at him. “He seems so cool, Daddy! Did you see his scars? Do you think a mountain lion gave them to him?”

“A mountain lion?” Jack laughed. “Oh, does Gabriel look that much like a rugged wildman?”

“Yah!” Jesse nodded. “I like him!”

“So do I,” Jack smiled before he closed his laptop. “But, I think there’s a certain cowboy that needs to eat his supper before his belly growls louder than a mountain lion.”

***

The park was oddly quiet. Jack was a little unnerved as he walked with Jesse. Jesse was tossing his ball up in the air and catching it, grinning as he looked around. Usually, there were other kids for him to play with, but now there was no one.

“Where is everyone?” Jesse asked.

He was slowly starting to get his spatial awareness, something that Jack was thankful for. There were plenty of times where Jesse had given him a heart-attack because he’d run out into the street in front of a moving vehicle. Jack was only so fast and he couldn’t hope to constantly save his baby from every bad decision he made in his life.

“I don’t know,” Jack frowned. “It’s strange.”

“Maybe there’s a party,” Jesse giggled. “We weren’t invited.”

“Maybe,” Jack laughed before he heard sirens. “Jesse. Jesse, come here.”

Jesse whimpered and pressed his face into Jack’s leg. “Daddy, why’s it so loud?” he whimpered.

“Ssh,” Jack soothed as he knelt down and picked his son up. “Just hold onto Daddy, okay? It’s going to be alright.”

Jesse nodded and clung to him as Jack started sprinting down the path. He looked for anywhere to bunker down and wait the omnics out, but there was nothing. He heard the whirl of a gun powering up and dropped to his knees, covering Jesse as best as he could.

Omnics stepped out onto the path and pointed their guns at him. They were beeping at each other, advancing slowly with heavy steps. They must have been waiting to ambush anyone on the path. Jack and Jesse were just unlucky.

“Jesse, don’t look,” Jack whispered. “No matter what, don’t look.”

“I’m scared,” Jesse whimpered. “Daddy, Daddy, I’m scared!”

“Ssh,” Jack hugged him close. “It’s going to be okay.”

Jack reached deep into himself and touched Mars’ back. _‘I have no right to talk to you, but help me. Please.’_

Pain rushed up the underside of his arms, down his back, around his neck, along his sternum, across his stomach, and up to the bottom of his ribs. He gasped as he felt Mars tear his way into the world, the tattoo burning into existence across his flesh. The omnics stumbled back with beeps of surprise as the massive red and black dragon coiled through the air.

Mars roared and attacked the omnics, crushing them between his jaws and smashing them to the ground with his tail. Jack held Jesse close, covering his ears so that the roaring did not hurt him. Jesse whimpered and cried, clinging to Jack’s chest like a lifeline.

“It’s okay,” Jack soothed as Mars tore the last omnic apart. “You’re safe, Jesse. Daddy’s here.”

Mars twisted and landed beside him, nudging him with the wide, flat part of his muzzle. Jack lifted his hand and set it on the glowing muzzle, smiling through his tears.

“I have no right to summon you,” he whispered.

 _‘I will always protect you,’_ Mars growled as he pushed his head under Jack’s hand. _‘You were hurting. I understand. I am here for you, Jack.’_

“Daddy?” Jesse whispered against his chest.

“It’s okay, Jesse,” Jack soothed. “You know Doubloon? This is Mars. He’s my dragon.”

“He’s big,” Jesse whispered as he stared at Mars.

“Doubloon is even bigger,” Jack smiled as Mars leaned forward to snuff at Jesse’s hair. “He won’t hurt you.”

“I know,” Jesse smiled as he pushed his fingers into Mars’ black beard. “He’s like you! Big and scary, but nicer than anyone else in the world!”

“You think I’m scary?” Jack asked in surprise.

“You were,” Jesse grinned sheepishly as Mars shrank down to the size of a ferret and curled around his neck. “When I first met you, you were really scary, Daddy.”

“Do you still think I am?” Jack asked as Mars snuggled into Jesse’s cheek.

“Uh uh,” Jesse shook his head. “You’re the nicest, bestest dad ever!”

Jack smiled as he picked Jesse up. He covered his son’s cheeks in kisses as he walked as quickly away from the destroyed omnics as he could.

“You’re the nicest, bestest son ever,” Jack cooed as Jesse wrapped his arms around his neck.

* * *

 

“Just touched down,” Gabriel said as he hoisted his bag over his shoulders. “Fuck, it’s good to be back.”

“We missed you,” his sister, Alejandra, said over the phone. “I can’t believe you’re going to see your boytoy before you come see me.”

“He’s not a boytoy,” Gabriel scolded as he walked through the airport towards baggage claim. “And I promised him I’d go see him.”

“Gabi,” Alejandra laughed. “You’re going to meet someone you’ve only ever spoken to over the phone before coming home to see the best sister in the world. I’m more than a little insulted.”

“Well, phooey for you,” Gabriel laughed. “I’ll see you soon. And I’ll bring Jack if I can manage it.”

“Good,” Alejandra sighed. “Because Sombra misses her Unca Gabi.”

“I can’t believe you aren’t teaching her Spanish.”

“I am teaching her Spanish! She’s just stubborn and refuses to answer in Spanish.”

“Hmm, remind you of anyone?” he teased.

“Yah, you, you stubborn old _cabrón_ ,” she teased back. “I’ll let you go. Love you, Gabi.”

“Love you too, Ale,” he said as he hung up.

He glanced at the people waiting to welcome home soldiers after the long war and searched for golden blond hair. Some people were holding signs, others were just crying, but everyone was beyond happy to see their loved ones.

He spotted a splash of golden hair and felt his heart jump into his throat. Jack was standing off to the side with his arm around a seven-year-old’s shoulders. A mop of brown hair was pulled back into a loose ponytail, letting the kid see what was going on in front of him. Gabriel’s throat tightened as brilliant blue eyes caught sight of him. A beautiful smile spread across Jack’s face and he waved.

“Gabe! Over here!”

Gabriel almost ran over; this was his golden angel in the flesh. He threw his arms around Jack’s shoulders as soon as he was close enough to do so. Jack’s arms wrapped just as tightly around his shoulders and he pressed his head into Gabriel’s neck.

“Hi,” Gabriel murmured.

“Hi,” Jack murmured back.

They pulled away a few inches and Gabriel ran his fingers through that beautiful golden hair. He was only a few inches shorter than him and a little more on the lanky side; swimmer body, didn’t they call it that? Those blue eyes were soft, watching him with a quiet intensity that Gabriel couldn’t get enough of. There were faint scars on Jack’s face and a fine line of stubble that looked like it had taken forever to grow in.

He leaned in without thinking and kissed Jack. The warm lips against his reacted, pressing back just as eagerly before they parted. Gabriel wanted to explore the warm mouth just beyond his teeth, but he didn’t dare. Not in a room full of people or in front of Jack’s kid.

“Ew,” Jesse whined as he stamped his feet. “Daddy, you’re being gross!”

Jack chuckled as he pulled away and ruffled Jesse’s hair. “Hush, you.”

“So, this is little Jesse McCree,” Gabriel smiled. “Keeping your old man in line?”

“Yes sir!” Jesse gave the typical civilian salute and grinned.

Gabriel smirked and reached down, correcting the salute. “That’s how a soldier salutes,” he winks. “But I think you’re more of a cowboy, right?”

“The best one in all of Indiana,” Jesse puffed his chest up proudly. “ _Sofu_ even taught me how to rope a calf!”

“Don’t ask me how a middle-aged Japanese man knows how to hogtie someone,” Jack lifted his hands. “There are certain things about my parents I just don’t ask.”

Gabriel snorted at the joke as they headed for the baggage claim. Once they had Gabriel’s luggage, they headed out to Jack’s truck. The huge red pickup looked like something out of an old-school movie and Gabriel couldn’t resist teasing him about it. Jesse sat between them on the ride home and swatted at Gabriel’s hand every time he tried to squeeze Jack’s knee.

“I’ll let you get everything set up in the spare room,” Jack smiled as they walked into the house on the outskirts of the city. “There’s a ‘Welcome Home’ party at Dad’s for you. Everyone’s really excited to meet you. You just, um, well, there’s someone you have to meet first. But it can wait until after you’ve had a moment to relax. There’s enough shit going on right now that you don’t need anything else piled on top until you’ve had a chance to breathe.”

“I appreciate it,” Gabriel chuckled as he followed Jack up the stairs to the spare bedroom.

He’d barely gotten his clothing put away when he heard a soft growl behind him. Jack was downstairs cleaning something and Gabriel was positive they didn’t have a dog. He frowned and turned around, only to stare at the creature watching him from a coiled pile on the bed. Brilliant white eyes watched him from a red scaled face as long, black, catfish-like whiskers rippled in the air.

“Uh, Jack!” he called. “There’s a furry snake on my bed!”

“I told you to wait!” Jack scolded as he hurried into the room and scooped the creature up. “He’s not a snake.” He let out a long sigh. “Gabriel, this is Mars, my spirit dragon.”

Gabriel lifted an eyebrow and stepped closer. “Your spirit dragon?” he asked as he squinted at the coiling body in Jack’s arms. “Looks like a snake to me.”

He reached out and touched the red scales and felt a jolt run down his arm. Mars watched him, white eyes curious, and Gabriel exhaled in awe. Something about the dragon was resonating with his soul and far away, in a world shrouded by darkness, something spread black wings and took flight. Gabriel blinked and shook his head, bringing himself back to the present.

“You okay?” Jack asked.

“Yah,” Gabriel smiled. “Hey, Mars. Sorry for not believing him.”

Mars purred before hopping onto Gabriel’s shoulder and rubbing his tiger-like jaw against Gabriel’s cheek.

* * *

 

“Don’t all swarm at once,” Jack shouted as he opened the door to the farmhouse.

There were spirit dragons everywhere. Doubloon was pulling rank, chasing the other dragons around the house as they tried to swarm the front door. Genji was toddling around giggling and trying to grab onto Kita’s blue and gold tail as she chased after Miyu’s black and white partner.

Jack smiled as Doubloon abandoned her efforts to keep the dragons in line and flopped across John’s shoulders, loudly bemoaning her lot in life as Cinders; the red and gold phoenix; reached over to preen her.

Gabriel stared at the chaos before he stroked over Mars’ head. “Well, this is weird,” he said. “Is it usually this crazy?”

“Only when there’s a lot of dragons,” Jack smiled as he pulled off his shoes. “Jesse, don’t let Minami run, okay? Keep him on your shoulders.”

“Yes, Dad,” Jesse smiled as he patted Minami’s blue and gold nose. “Papa!”

He bolted past Jack and threw his arms around John’s stomach, hugging him tightly. Doubloon dropped down to nuzzle his cheek, purring loudly as she fretted over him.

“There’s my favourite grandson,” John teased as he knelt down to hug Jesse close. “Keeping that little dragon in line?”

“Yes,” Jesse grinned as Minami whined as Doubloon started cleaning him. “He’s really smart!”

“I bet he is,” John smiled before he stood up. “And you must be Gabriel Reyes. Welcome to the family.”

Gabriel smiled as he shook John’s hand. “It’s nice to finally meet you, Mr. Morrison. Jack was about the only thing keeping me sane out on the front lines,” he said.

“Charmer!” a woman called. “Don’t you let this one fool you, Jack!”

“Don’t you start, Miyu!” Daiki called as he walked out of the kitchen cleaning his hands. “John, honey, don’t hog all of his attention. Come on, supper’s almost ready.”

Jack chuckled as he urged Gabriel on into the kitchen. The table was set for everyone and Daiki refused to let Gabriel help with anything as the roast beef was hauled over. John started heaping everyone’s plate with food, smacking Hanzo’s knuckles gently when he tried to start eating.

“We wait for everyone to have food,” John said.

“Sorry, Papa,” Hanzo murmured.

“Commander,” a dark-haired man inclined his head.

Gabriel nodded to him as Haruki kissed the man’s cheek. They whispered softly to each other before pulling apart as John finally sat down.

“Well, dig in,” John smiled.

Hanzo and Genji immediately started stuffing food in their mouths while the adults started talking. Jesse looked at each bite of food before he put it in his mouth; Jack had never been able to figure out why he did that. Gabriel was quiet, letting the rest of the table do the talking while he ate his meal. Jack reached out and rubbed his leg soothingly, smiling reassuringly at him. Gabriel returned the smile, not nearly as withdrawn as Jack had assumed.

“So,” Miyu smirked as she popped a piece of beef into her mouth, “did Mars resonate with you?”

“Miyu!” Daiki scolded.

“Oh, calm down, cousin,” Miyu rolled her eyes. “It’s only a little question.”

“It’s none of your business, cousin,” Daiki shook his head.

Cinder let out a low call before she spread her wings wide. Jack eyed her curiously as she took flight and looped around their heads. Gabriel watched her in awe before she landed on his shoulder and gently started preening his curls. Jack smiled, puffing his chest out as Cinder preened Gabriel like her own chick.

“She approves,” John said as he sipped his water. “You don’t need to tell us anything, Gabriel. Miyu is just nosy.”

Gabriel let out a soft laugh as he stroked Cinder’s belly. “I did resonate with Mars,” he said.

“What did you see?” Miyu’s eyes gleamed eagerly.

“Black wings unfurling in darkness,” Gabriel shrugged.

“Oh,” Miyu blinked before she frowned. “Huh. Interesting.”

“It means something to you?” he asked.

“Not really,” Miyu shrugged. “Still, very interesting.”

Jack shook his head before he straightened. Someone was knocking on the front door. He signaled for his father to remain seated and got to his feet. He walked to the front door and opened it. His mouth went dry as he stared at the stringy-haired woman standing sullenly on the front porch.

“Jasmine,” he whispered in disbelief.

“Hi, Jack,” she murmured as she wrapped her arms around her chest and hugged herself. “I have no right to ask to come in.”

“Get in here,” he said angrily as he grabbed her arm and yanked her into the house. “You’re so thin.”

Jazz cried against his chest as he hugged her tightly to him. Her bony arms wrapped around his chest and clung to him. He kissed her hair and shook with anger and relief.

“I’m so sorry,” she sobbed. “I was so stupid. So, so stupid!”

“Ssh,” he soothed. “It Dad you have to apologize to.”

Jazz nodded and wiped at her face. She held onto his arm tightly as he walked her into the dining room. Conversation stopped dead as everyone stared at Jazz. She curled into herself, hazel eyes gleaming with tears.

“Hi,” she whispered.

John leaped out of his chair and stumbled forward, pulling Jazz up against his chest. He kissed over her forehead, sobbing as he held her close.

“My baby, my baby,” he whispered. “You’re back. I was so worried. Are you okay? You’re so thin. Are you sick? Do I need to get you to a hospital?”

Jazz shook her head and snuggled closer. “Food sounds good,” she whispered. “I’m so sorry. I was so stupid. I’m sorry. I love you. I love you so much, Dad.”

“Ssh,” John soothed as Cinder flew over and settled down on Jazz’s shoulder, covering her with her golden wings. “Ssh, come on. Let’s get some food in you.”

John walked Jazz over to the table and sat her down in his seat. Daiki put a small portion of food on her plate, smiling reassuringly as she looked at him fearfully.

“Oto, I,” Jazz whimpered.

“Ssh,” Daiki soothed. “Just eat, Jazz. We can talk after.”

Jazz nodded before she shakily started eating. She blinked at Gabriel for a moment before she straightened. Her eyes flicked to Jesse, then Hanzo and Genji, and she swallowed.

“How much have I missed?” she asked softly.

“A lot,” Jack said as he sat down. “Don’t worry, Jazz. I’ll fill you in.”

* * *

 

“ _Tío_!” Sombra squealed as she yanked the front door open.

“Hey, little shadow,” Gabriel smiled as he picked his niece up and kissed her cheek. “How’s my favourite girl?”

“I missed you,” Sombra pouted as she hugged his neck. “Who’s he?”

Jack kept an arm around Jesse’s shoulder as Gabriel set Sombra back on her feet. Alejandra and her partner were watching with a smile, shooting each other a smirk as Sombra glared at Jack.

“Sombra, this is Jack,” Gabriel smiled as he leaned over to kiss Jack’s cheek. “He’s my fiancée.”

“Fiancée?” she asked before she gasped loudly. “You’re getting married?!”

“Eventually,” Gabriel smiled as he held Jack and Jesse close. “What do you think? Good family?”

“Yah!” Sombra bounced forward and hugged Jesse. “Hi, cousin!”

“Hi,” Jesse grinned. “Name’s Jesse.”

“Sombra,” she grinned. “Come on! _Tío_ and Mamá always talk about boring things.”

Gabriel watched the kids hurry off and sighed as his sister hugged him tightly. “I’m so happy for you,” she smiled. “This is a huge step for you.”

“Getting married before my big sister,” Gabriel teased.

“I don’t need a piece of paper to show my commitment,” Alejandra smiled before she pulled Gabriel along behind her. “Come on; you have to tell me what you two are planning.”

Gabriel let himself be pulled into the dining room and sat down. He smiled as Alejandra ran around the kitchen picking up mugs and coffee. Her partner collected pieces of cake from the fridge and set them on the table. The two of them easily moved around each other and Gabriel shot Jack a look.

“Think we’ll ever be able to do that?” Gabriel asked as he nodded to his sister and her partner.

“One day,” Jack smiled. “One day.”

Gabriel smiled before he waited for his sister to take a seat. He made sure she wasn’t about to drink anything before he lifted his arm and let Thanatos emerge from the tattoo on his back. Alejandra screamed at the massive shadow bird sitting contently on his arm. The raven cocked his head at Alejandra before letting out a soft caw of greeting.

“Alejandra, this is Thanatos,” Gabriel smiled as he stroked over his partner’s belly. “He’s my spirit guardian.”

“When the hell…how…?” Alejandra demanded as she looked from Gabriel to Thanatos.

“Jack has a dragon,” Alejandra’s partner said slowly.

Mars poked his nose out of Jack’s shirt pocket and waved his tail in greeting. He yawned and curled up again, uninterested in anything but sleep after chasing Minami around the car all day. Alejandra gawked before she took a deep breath.

“Okay. Okay, I’m getting the Bailey’s and you’re telling me what the fuck you’re marrying into,” she said as she got to her feet.

Gabriel and Jack shared a smirk as Sombra squealed and came skidding into the dining room holding Minami to her chest.

“MAMÁ! Look! Jesse has a dragon!”

Alejandra looked at Sombra and the blue and gold dragon before she set the bottle of Bailey’s on the table. She turned around, pulled the tequila out, and set it next to the Bailey’s. She sat down and let out a long suffering sigh.

“Start talking.”

Gabriel laughed before he started explaining everything he knew.

**Author's Note:**

> Spirit bird for Gabriel? Spirit bird for Gabriel. Alejandra is not drunk enough for this.


End file.
